People's Democracy

CPI(M) Protest Against US Designs On Iraq

HUNDREDS of CPI(M) activists were prevented by the Delhi Police from holding a peaceful demonstration at the US Information Centre today, against the US designs to invade Iraq. They were detained near Mandi House, where they had assembled, and later arrested and taken to Mandir Marg police station. Such repressive and authoritarian actions are telling examples of BJP-led NDA government’s subservient attitude towards the US. The Delhi state committee of CPI(M) strongly condemned the home ministry and Delhi Police for this anti-democratic action and warned that such repressive measures will not deter the people of India from rising against US designs to attack Iraq.

The demonstrators were addressed by PMS Grewal, Delhi state secretary of the CPI(M). He termed the US plans to attack Iraq as a heinous move reflecting its contempt of both international law and national sovereignty. He also laid bare the vacuous logic given by the US to justify this forthcoming attack. The US claims about Iraqi chemical, biological and nuclear weapons capabilities have been challenged by many in the West including Scott Ritter, former UN arms inspector in Iraq and the British MP., Alan Simpson. Even NATO allies like Germany oppose the US moves. He termed the impending attack on Iraq as a dubious effort to shift the attention of the American public from pressing domestic problems like economic recession, growing unemployment and the spate of corporate scandals.

The demonstrators were also addressed by Mohan Lal, Baldev Singh, K M Tiwary and other secretariat members of the CPI(M) Delhi state committee. The leaders of DYFI, SFI and Janwadi Mahila Samity which included Siddheswar Shukla, Rehana and Albeena Shakil, the president of JNUSU, also addressed them.

The other speakers asserted that the US claim about Iraq posing a threat to Europe and America is nothing but a canard. There is no proof to show that Iraq is sheltering al-Qaeda terrorists. Accepting the US plans would mean agreeing to the US doctrine of its right to militarily intervene anywhere it perceives a supposed threat to its own interests. The speakers held the sanctions imposed against Iraq at the behest of the US and its allies, responsible for the death of thousands of Iraqi children and other untold sufferings of the Iraqi people.

The speakers also criticised the muted response of the Vajpayee government towards the aggressive designs of the US., reflecting the complete subversion of the non-aligned foreign policy of the country. They demanded that the Central Government forthrightly condemn the US moves.

(INN)